Volleyball
Courtney Baker, a former all-state player at Whitefish and Class A state tournament MVP, is taking over a talented Flathead Bravettes team that has advanced to the Class AA state tournament the past eight years. Baker replaces Leon Wilcox, who stepped down after eight seasons. Baker graduated from Whitefish in 2007 and played on the state championship squads in 2004, 2005 and 2006.
She welcomes back some talented players, including Jourdon Schultz, an all-state defensive specialist, and all-state honorable mention outside hitters Lizzie Sherwood and Marissa Postovit, and all-state honorable mention libero Abbie O’Brien. There’s also Tiana Johnson, a standout multi-sport athlete.
Flathead took third in Western AA a year ago.
Glacier graduated a bulk of last year’s Western AA championship team but head coach Christy Harkins has successfully reloaded many times in the past. She has talented players waiting to take over as leaders, including Hailee Bennett, an all-state honorable mention libero.
The Class AA state tournament is in Bozeman, Nov. 12-14.
Jackie Fuller is back on the volleyball court in Whitefish. Fuller took over the program again in the offseason, resuming a role she had for several years. Fuller led Whitefish to a 324-102 record, 13 state tournament appearances and state championships in 2001, 2002, and three straight from 2004 to 2006. The 2007 team finished second. She resigned in 2011.
Fuller will try to rebuild Whitefish into state contenders a year after the team finished 1-14.
In Columbia Falls, the Wildkats are hoping to return to the state tournament and improve on last year’s runner-up finish. The team went undefeated in Northwestern A action a year ago and finished the season 19-3, losing in a tight match to Belgrade in the state championship. Several key players graduated, but Samantha Collins is back along with other talented players Cydney Finberg, Morgan Stenger, KJ Schweikert and Kiara Burlage.
The Northwestern A and Southwestern A conferences combined into the Western A division this year, which means the divisional tournament will feature teams from both conferences.
The Western A divisional tournament is in Hamilton, Nov. 5-7. The state tournament is in Bozeman, Nov. 12-14.
Schuyler Baird is taking over coaching duties at her alma mater in Bigfork. Baird, a 1994 graduate and former multi-sport standout, was a head coach in Idaho before returning to the Flathead Valley last year. She has a talented crew returning, led by all-conference player Lana Berg. The Valkyries went 12-10 a year ago.
Cross Country
One of Montana’s all-time great distance runners, Bigfork’s Makena Morley, has moved on to the college ranks, but that doesn’t mean the excitement will settle down at all this fall.
Makena’s sister, Bryn, is striding into her sophomore season with title aspirations in Class B after a phenomenal freshman year. Bryn placed second behind Makena at the state meet in Helena, clocking 16:59.3, two minutes better than the third-place runner. She advanced to Foot Locker Nationals in San Diego and finished 26th out of 40 elite national runners. Her spring track season was equally impressive as she won state titles in the 800 and 1,600 and placed runner-up in the 3,200 behind Makena. She also earned third in the 400.
Bryn’s best competition in the state happens to be a fellow Flathead Valley runner.
Glacier’s Annie Hill is equally talented. Similar to Bryn, Annie burst onto the scene as a freshman a year ago and blazed her way to a Class AA state championship, clocking 17:11.9. She placed eighth at Foot Locker Nationals, running 17:52 for 5K. Also similar to Bryn, Annie dominated in track, winning a state title in the 3,200 and placing second in the 800 and 1,600 behind Billings Senior’s Christina Aragon. Hill also took third in the 400.
Hill, now a sophomore, will compete against Aragon, now a senior, in cross country but has shown her ability to outpace the elder runner when it comes to long distances. Either way, it should still make for some exciting competition.
Flathead’s Kaitlin Wride is poised for a successful sophomore season. A year ago, she clocked 18:20 to earn seventh at state. She is leading a strong Flathead girls team that earned third a year ago and brings back state runners Elizabeth Thompson, Nicole Bouma and Rebecca Wride.
On the boys side, Logan Morley is poised for an exciting finish to his prep career. The Bigfork senior is the reigning state champ in Class B. He clocked 15:29.2 to win the title a year ago, 30 seconds ahead of second place.
Watch for Flathead senior Jak Perrin to make a run at the title in Class AA. Perrin picked up distance running rather late in his high school tenure but it hasn’t taken long for him to lead the pack. In track, he won the 1,600 (4:21.17) and placed second in the 3,200 (9:30.67).
Glacier graduated four of its top seven runners but welcomes back Logan Harmon, who took 13th as a junior. Jacob Deitz is the new head coach for the Wolfpack and replaces longtime coach Mike McLean, who accepted the head coaching job at Rocky Mountain College in Billings. Deitz was the cross county coach at Flathead Valley Community College for 11 years.
This year’s state meet is in Great Falls at the Eagle Falls Country Club on Oct. 24.
Boys Soccer
O’Brien Byrd, a former national coach of the year who led the Whitefish Bulldogs soccer team to four state championships and nine conference titles, has taken over the boys soccer program at his alma mater, Columbia Falls High School. Byrd will try to build a dynasty in his hometown, similar to what he did in Whitefish. The Wildcats were 2-10 last season. Byrd has talent back on the pitch, including Daniel Skinner.
John Lacey has replaced Byrd in Whitefish. He served as an assistant high school coach for the girls program in 1999 and an assistant with the boys program from 2000-2002. Lacey has several talented players back, including all-conference nominees Walter Sobba and Casey Ling.
Similar changes have occurred in the local AA ranks. Ryan Billiet is the new boys soccer coach at Glacier High School. Billiet has been a varsity assistant the past eight years at Whitefish High School and served as a leader within the Flathead Rapids community organization. Glacier was 7-6-3 last year and placed fourth in the Western AA. The Wolfpack won its opening-round game at the state tournament but fell in the semis and finished fourth. All-state forward Colton Becker is back for the Pack, along with all-conference goalie Ryker McIntyre.
Nate Evans is the new head coach at Flathead. Evans takes over a Braves squad that went 3-12 last year but still advanced to the state tournament with a playoff victory. All-conference defender Sam Clarin is back along with all-conference forward Kaleb Frame.
The Class AA boys soccer state tournament is in Billings, Oct. 29-31.
Girls Soccer
Columbia Falls has a strong crew of returning players back on the pitch this fall, meaning the Wildkats could once again take a shot at the state title. Three all-state players are back, senior Tavia Bechtel, senior Lexi Strouse and senior Sidney Grilley. There’s also all-conference players Katie Hawes, Katie Price, Ellie Johnson and Kendra King. This could be another special season for a program that has been one of the best in Montana in the last decade. The girls won the Northern A title last year with a 9-2-4 record and lost to Laurel in the title game, 2-0.
Whitefish, under new head coach Roland Benedict, has one of the best players in the state back, all-state junior Haley Nicholson, who scored 21 goals a year ago, most in the state. Whitefish fell in the semifinal round of the Class A playoffs to Laurel.
In the Class AA ranks, Flathead is loaded with talent, primarily reigning league co-MVP Stephanie Wilson. Now a senior, Wilson is joined by fellow all-state player Amanda Buxton and all-conference nominees Jaymee Siler and Alexa May.
Glacier has three returning all-conference players: McKayle Dennehy, Alysha Smith and Amy Braig.
Golf
The Flathead Valley is home to two of the best female golfers in Montana, Glacier’s Teigan Avery and Whitefish’s Coral Schulz.
Avery is the two-time defending state champ in Class AA and Schulz is the reigning state champ in Class A. Both girls are now seniors, which means it should be an exciting conclusion to two impressive prep careers.
On the boys side, Class A is welcoming one of the best young golfers in the nation, Libby freshman Ryggs Johnston. Johnston competed at several elite tournaments this summer, including the U.S Amateur Championship and the Big I National Championship, where he placed third.
Flathead’s Ryan Keenan is entering his senior year and placed 15th at the Class AA state tournament a year ago.
The Class A state tournaments are in Sidney, Oct. 2-3. The Class AA tournaments are in Helena, Oct. 1-2.